Baby Got Books

The Help

Living in the South I do get tired of the endemic racial issues here. However, I understand is the long, deep-seated history that cannot and must not be forgotten. So, while current race relations exhaust me, the history behind it all fascinates me. I have so many questions: “What was it really like?” ”Did both blacks and whites truly accept the status quo willingly?” “Was anyone fighting behind the scenes?” ”Who?” What would it have been like to be on the freedom rides?” and finally “What would I have done? Really? Would I have accepted it? or tried to make a change?” I will admit that I may be more interested because my husband is Black (no, not African American) and I am not. I want our daughter to have a clear understanding of her family’s past and her heritage.

Although The Help by Kathryn Stockett is fiction, I don’t doubt that the stories told by the main characters definitely happened at least once if not a hundred times. The book takes place in Mississippi in the early 1960’s when ordinary blacks and whites did not mix except when one was working for the other – when the women were so busy with Junior League obligations, the monumental task of raising their children often fell to their black maids.

The author, herself from Mississippi, tells the story of three different people from their own point of view. The “White Woman”, “Skeeter”, just finished college, returned home and isn’t comfortable with what she sees happening. Her own nanny was sent away for unknown reasons. All her friends are married and having children. Skeeter wants to work and all she can get is an entry level job at the newspaper. (- A separate but related issue that can be explored in When Everything Changed by Gail Collins.)

The hot topic of the day is consistently pushed by her best friend, “Hilly” president of the Junior League. She believes all maids should have their own “separate, individual” bathrooms apart from the family so the family doesn’t catch any diseases that Black people are “known to carry”. As all of the women are building separate bathrooms for their maids, they are collecting money for the starving children of Africa. The irony of this endeavor completely escapes these women.

Skeeter decides to anonymously write a book about what it’s like for black women to work for whites. She secretly enlists the help of two maids, Minny and Abilene who coincidentally work for her friends. The book is ultimately published and any dreams of keeping it anonymous die. Although very serious, the book has some very humorous parts that left me cheering for the maids. In the end, “the times they are a changin’” and it affects everyone.

Abilene is a very faithful and dedicated maid who loves all the children she has cared for. In her own sly way, she tries to teach the kids a sense of equality and justice. She knows the child is listening when something interesting happens with the child’s teacher.

Minny is a very outspoken woman who finds herself unable to get a job because of false accusations spread around town in the gossip circle. Minny eventually finds a job with my favorite character Mill Celia, a country white woman who doesn’t understand why the Jr. Leaguers won’t return her calls. She faces her own struggles in the book and it’s the relationship between her and Minny that pulled at my heart strings. They care very much for each other and although Miss Celia would probably admit because she “doesn’t know any better”, Minny fights it. Miss Celia even eats her meals with Minny at the same table! That is scandalous.

When a book evokes strong emotions in the reader, I consider it a great book. Ms. Stockett does such a wonderful job developing the characters and story that I am scared when they have their secret meetings. I don’t want Minny to get fired! I’m angry at the way things were, I want to rally behind Miss Celia and feel triumphant when good things happen. This old, very much written-about story of blacks and whites is made fresh by the narrative. The author really makes us care about these characters!

Some people intentionally keep away from the Best Seller Lists but this book is currently at the top and there is a reason for it.

Books, Fiction, Review | Anne | February 2, 2010 9:11 am

4 Comments

By Jen, February 2, 2010 @ 5:08 pm

Great post, Anne. You should read Mudbound next. It sort of answers to how one white woman didn’t completely agree with the status quo in the forties, but felt compelled to follow along anyway.
By Nicole, February 3, 2010 @ 3:44 pm

I loved this book as well. Like you stated – I erroneously assumed that it would be some mass market throw-away book and was pleasantly surprised when I couldn’t put it down.
Welcome to BGB!
By Anne, February 3, 2010 @ 10:47 pm

Thanks Jen & Nicole! It’s been challenging but fun to write these. And glad I could help out a little while baby keeps everyone up at night.